How to Survive a Blockchain Conference Without Getting Hacked

The Blockchain conference, considered as the industry’s equivalent of the Hollywood awards season, is here. It is an opportunity for celebrities in the crypto world to tread the usual read carpet and for everyone from the minnows to whales to mingle and learn. But not being careful entails having your devices pawned and your cryptocurrencies swiped.

May Is the Month for Blockchain Conferences

A lot of cryptocurrency conferences have been happening all throughout the year but May is when they reach the certain zenith. Last weekend, Futurama in Dubai happened, an event for guests who included Brock Pierce with a closing party that took place on a yacht in the Gulf. Next week it will be the turn of the Consensus NYC, which will be the industry’s largest event that will welcome 7,000 attendees and hundreds of other delegates.

The amount value of the portfolios around the New York’s Hilton Midtown will comfortably run in about billions of dollars. The greater majority of that wealth will be left at home on certain hardware devices and paper wallets that will be stashed securely in secure vaults but that doesn’t immune them from the thieves.

Of course, each person most probably has more crypto holdings on an exchange that are readily accessible via 2FA app in your pocket than anyone cares to admit. Another would be that hackers won’t need to strike exactly at the event. They can phish or social engineer now and strike even on the other side of the world when you’re unaware that your simcard has been swapped.

Keep Calm and Be Prepared

The first rule in attending any public conference, especially something like consensus, is to avoid any insecure wifi connections. That wifi point that would be named after the conference you’re now attending could maybe just as easily be a trap.

If you need to connect while at the conference, be sure to use VPN. Additionally, each person must keep their cellphone’s Bluetooth and NFC turned off and not plug it into a USB point to charge. The other side of that cable could easily be extracting your data.

Be Careful What You Share and Who You Share It With

The best thing about blockchain conferences isn’t the panel discussions itself nor the ICO pitches but the after-parties. All these networking opportunities could be a chance to know certain friends that you;ve known only through a Telegram group.

Anyone can literally make up a business card that says they are an investor or OTC broker and due to the public nature of crypto conferences, there is no easy means of telling who’s legit and who isn’t. They could be friends or just waiting an opportunity to slip something and pilfer your laptop as soon as you pass out.

Crypto People Are Good People

These advices aren’t intended to be alarmist but Crypto people are some of the friendlies and most generous people you’ll ever meet provided that you follow basic op-ed so that you can relax at the conference and enjoy yourself. Be careful to not brag about gains, share portfolios or even engage in any behavior that could make you an easy target.

If it is possible then just leave your primary laptop and smartphone at home and travel with a burner. In that way, whatever may happen, you’ll still be waking up without regretting anything more. Always be discrete, conceal your wealth and remember that there’s always no such thing as a free wifi. Do everything and you’ll surely have a ball.